Create Awareness, Share Knowledge and Build Solid Networks on a global scale around the themes of fish migration and free-flowing rivers.

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New Zealand

Let’s give our migriting fish a voice.

Well over 700 hundred people helped to celebrate World Fish Migration Day at Margaret Mahy playground in Christchurch, New Zealand today. Staff from the Department of Conservation, Fish & Game, Environment Canterbury, EOS Ecology, Working Waters Trust, Canterbury University, Kiwi Conservation Club, and Avon-Ōtākaro Network joined forces to create this family friendly event. Lots of freshwater experts were on hand to show people our fabulous freshwater fish, what is special about them, how we can help them, and how they need to move within our rivers, and to and from the sea. Kids got to try out the giant inanga board game, complete the World Fish Migration Day challenge, try the new whitebait activity sheet, make tshirt bags, and try and get the fish up the fish pass in the water play area.

Yesterday, 18th April, NZ World Fish Migration Day celebrations began with the New Zealand Fish Passage Advisory Group hosting an event at the Ministry of the Environment in Wellington. The Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage, launched the document to over 100 ecologists, engineers and others from 50 organisations representing regional councils, Fish and Game, Department of Conservation (DOC), the Ministry for the Environment and others involved in fish passage management in New Zealand. The national fish passage guidelines, developed by DOC and NIWA, with input from the New Zealand Fish Passage Advisory Group, will inform the planning, design, construction, management and monitoring of structures up to 4 metres high in waterways. We hope this will be the start of a more consistent national approach to fish passage and instream structure management in New Zealand and improvement for our freshwater fish. All participants received a ‘giant kokopu’ chocolate fish to celebrate World Fish Migration Day 😊 A great day was had by all.